Monthly Review: January 2007

This monthly review goes out to the leadership of AGI's member
societies, members of the AGI Government Affairs Advisory Committee,
and other interested geoscientists as part of a continuing effort
to improve communications between GAP and the geoscience community
that it serves.

1. Continuing Resolution
for Fiscal Year 2007: Some Increases for Science

Even though the President released his fiscal year 2008 budget request
on February 5th, Congress still has to finish work on the budget for
fiscal year 2007. The nascent 110th Congress decided in January to
consider passing another continuing resolution for the full year rather
than try to pass 9 separate appropriation bills leftover from the
109th Congress.

On January 30th, the House passed a new continuing resolution (H.J.
20) that would fund most of the government at the lowest of two possible
levels either the fiscal year 2006 or the House-approved levels. The
resolution worked out jointly by House Appropriations Chairman David
Obey (D-WI) and Senate Appropriations Chairman, Robert Byrd (D-WV)
added some adjustments that would increase funding for some research
and education. The resolution explicitly eliminates earmarks and hopes
to put a moratorium on earmarking until a reformed process is put
in place.

The adjustments would include a proposed 6 percent increase compared
to fiscal year 2006 funding for the National Science Foundation, so
the agency would receive an increase of $335 million for a total budget
of $5,916.2 million and $4,665.95 million would be allocated for Research
and Related Activities, a 7.7 percent increase for that account. The
Office of Science in the Department of Energy would receive a 5.6
percent increase compared to fiscal year 2006 funding for a total
budget of $3,796.4 million. The Office would see a $200 million increase
plus $130 million of previously earmarked funds that can be re-allocated
for other purposes. Also within the Department of Energy, the Energy
Efficiency and Renewable Energy Resources program would receive $1.5
billion, an increase of $300 million to accelerate research and development
activities for renewable energy and energy efficiency programs.

No adjustments for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA) or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric (NOAA) were included
in the joint resolution, so NOAA and NASA would have flat budgets,
however, some funds for research and development would be available
because earmarks would be eliminated. In addition, the resolution
specifies funding levels for NASA's science mission as follows: Science,
Aeronautics and Exploration would receive $10 billion, of which $5.2
billion would be for science, $890 million would be for aeronautics
research and $3.4 billion would be for exploration systems.

The U. S. Geological Survey would receive $977.6 million, which includes
the restoration of the President's requested cut to the Mineral Resources
Program (about $22 million) and a small increase over the fiscal year
2006 budget. The Smithsonian Institution would receive $533 million,
a decrease compared to a budget of $618 million for fiscal year 2006;
however, the funds would not be required to apply to a specific grant
for the Council of American Overseas Research Centers or for the reopening
of the Patent Office Building.

The resolution also would include increases for Pell Grants for undergraduate
education, the Clean Water State Revolving Fund for water and wastewater
infrastructure projects in every state, for parks and other lands
to cover budget shortfalls and for the Forest Service/Wildland fire
management account to meet shortfalls caused by the intense 2006 wildfire
season.

The legislation now must be considered by the Senate and then if
necessary voted on again by both chambers. If the legislation passes,
it would then need to be signed by the President. The current continuing
resolution expires on February 15th, so Congress does not have much
time left. If Congress is unable to pass this legislation or some
amended resolution, the government will shut down the day after Valentine's
Day.

President George W. Bush released the fiscal year 2008 budget request
on February 5th. Within the $2.9 trillion budget request, the President
stated a strong commitment to observing, protecting and managing Earth
resources and developing alternative energy resources.

For Earth resources, the President referred to a quartet of science
agencies, the U.S. Geological Survey, the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (NASA), the National Science Foundation (NSF)
and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric (NOAA), to continue integrated
programs to understand Earth processes. Highlights from the White
House budget summaries include:
"(1) $1.6 billion to develop new sensors and conduct research
that will expand scientific understanding of the Earth system. (2)
Over $800 million to improve weather forecasting capabilities by developing
and acquiring geostationary and polar-orbiting weather satellites
and unmanned aircraft systems to improve forecasting and our understanding
of the climate. (3) Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System: An additional
$2 million to strengthen tsunami detection and warning capabilities.
(4) The Asia-Pacific Partnership (APP): Works with international partners,
Australia, China, India, Japan and South Korea, to promote U.S. and
partner exports in the field of clean energy and environmental goods
and services. (5) Ocean Action Plan: Protecting ocean and coastal
resources with $143 million in new projects to advance ocean science
($80M), protect and restore sensitive coastal areas ($38M), and ensure
sustainable use of ocean resources ($25M)."

For energy resources, the President promoted his Advanced Energy
Initiative, which was first introduced in the President's 2006 State
of the Union Address last year. Highlights from the White House budget
summaries include:
"(1) Coal Research Initiative: $385 million to complete the President's
commitment to invest $2 billion over 10 years - three years ahead
of schedule- to develop technologies to reduce air emissions while
providing domestically secure, cost-efficient electricity from America's
huge coal reserve. (2) FutureGen Project: $108 million towards construction
of a nearly emissions-free coal plant that captures and stores carbon
dioxide rather than releasing it into the atmosphere. (3) Solar America
Initiative: $148 million toward the goal of making solar technology
cost competitive with conventional electricity by 2025. (4) Biofuels
Initiative: $179 million to research the production of cellulosic
ethanol from corn and to make other organic materials available as
a competitive energy alternative by 2012. (5) Hydrogen Fuel Initiative:
$309 million will complete the President's five-year, $1.2 billion
commitment to support the development of commercially viable hydrogen
technologies and fuel cell vehicles by 2020. (6) Nuclear Power 2010:
$114 million-more than double the funding in the 2007 Budget-toward
this $1.1 billion government/ private sector partnership to license
new reactors and for private industry to obtain licenses for new designs
that could result in new power plants ordered by 2009 and operating
by 2014. (7) Global Nuclear Energy Partnership: $395 million to continue
strong support for engineering and design of advanced reactors and
new nuclear waste recycling approaches with the potential to reduce
the toxicity and volume of nuclear waste that requires disposal in
a permanent repository. Solving the nuclear waste issue paves the
way for expanding the safe use of nuclear power around the world and
at home, promotes nuclear nonproliferation, and resolves nuclear waste
disposal issues through an international framework. (8) Advanced Battery
Research: $42 million to accelerate research on advanced battery technologies
for "plug-in" hybrid vehicles that can be recharged at night."

The President requests a total budget for fiscal year 2008 for the
following programs that fund Earth sciences, with percentage increase
or decrease compared to the fiscal year 2007 budget request in parentheses:

*The President's fiscal year 2007 budget request for the U.S. Geological
Survey included a $22 million reduction in the Mineral Resources Program
and the percent change for fiscal year 2008 assumes this reduction
will take affect for fiscal year 2007. However as indicated in the
previous summary of the continuing fiscal year 2007 budget deliberations,
the House has voted to restore funding for the Mineral Resources Program,
so the final difference in the U.S. Geological Survey presidential
request may amount to as little as less than a one percent increase
overall.

On January 18th, the House passed the Creating Long-Term Energy Alternatives
for the Nation Act of 2007, or the CLEAN Energy Act of 2007 (H.R.6),
in a 264 to 163 vote. Part of Congress's first 100 hours, this legislation
is designed to reduce the nation's dependency on foreign oil by investing
in clean, renewable, and alternative energy resources.

The bill, which has yet to pass the Senate, would amend the Energy
Policy Act of 2005 to repeal tax incentives for domestic oil and natural
gas production. It would also require companies to renegotiate 1998
and 1999 leases in the Gulf of Mexico that lack price thresholds triggering
royalty payments. According to a Platts Inside Energy article, Democrats
have estimated that the value of the bill to federal coffers would
be about $14 billion. This money would be directed to a "strategic
energy efficiency and renewable energy reserve," which would
be made available to "offset the cost of subsequent legislation"
geared toward the research and development of clean renewable energy
technologies.

Representative Ed Markey (D-MA) said "We will begin to move
in a new, clean direction on energy and put an end to the free ride
that big oil has had under the Bush Administration and this bill is
a beginning. It is the beginning of a change in direction, away from
subsidizing an industry that doesn't need extra financial incentives,
and towards the technologies that do need a helping hand."

The bill, however, does not have widespread support. Although 36
Republicans voted in favor of H.R.6 in the House, it is expected to
encounter significant opposition from the rest of the Republican Party.
Representative Cliff Stearns (R-FL) has voiced his opposition to the
bill, saying it "will raise energy prices for American consumers,
stifle domestic energy production, and increase our dependence on
foreign sources of energy."

4. Bill for College
Student Loan Relief

For millions of student borrowers, the College Student Relief Act
of 2007 (H.R.5) may offer some hope for reducing their debt burden.
Sponsored by Representative George Miller (D-CA), the bill would amend
the Higher Education Act of 1965 and reduce interest rates on certain
student loans. The student-loan bill aims to phase-in cuts in the
annual interest rates charged undergraduate student borrowers under
the Federal Family Education Loan and Direct Loan programs from 6.8
percent to 3.4 percent over five years.

As the cost of a college education continues to escalate, the inclusion
of such a bill in the new Congress's first 100 hours is a helpful
sign. However, in a statement released through the Department of Education,
President Bush stated his opposition to the bill, saying that "reducing
student loan interest rates would direct federal subsidies to college
graduates, not to students and their families who are struggling to
meet current and future educational expenses." The statement
asserted the Administration's commitment to "continue to work
with Congress on a comprehensive approach to improve college access
for the neediest students, in a fiscally responsible manner."

According to the 2002 Nellie Mae National Student Loan Survey, undergraduate
student loan debt has increased significantly since 1997. The average
undergraduate debt is $18,900, up 66 percent from $11,400 in 1997.
More recent numbers have not yet come out, but student loan debt is
sure to increase in step with the skyrocketing cost of a college education.
Last year alone, the average total tuition and fees at four-year public
colleges rose 6.3% to $5,836, according to the College Board's 2006
Trends in College Pricing report. For students at private four-year
colleges, the price rose 5.9 percent to $22,218.

As of January 17th, H.R.5 has passed the House and been received in
the Senate, where it was referred to the Committee on Health, Education,
Labor, and Pensions.

5. Climate Change
in Congress

The new Democratic majority of the 110th Congress has made climate
change a major issue in their first month of work. Democrats have
formed new committees, there have been several hearings on climate
change and many new bills on climate change have been introduced.

On January 30th, the House and Senate held high profile hearings
on climate change. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
held a hearing on the political influence on government climate scientists
on January 30th and received frank testimony about censorship, political
editing of scientific results in government reports, cherry-picking
science to suit political agendas and the intermixing of science and
policy. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee held a hearing
entitled "Senators' Perspectives on Global Warming" and
33 senators offered their viewpoints on the science and whether to
consider policy action. The testimony and web cast archives of both
hearings are available at the committees' web sites.

In addition, a bevy of bills have been introduced to directly or
indirectly try to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. For
the most part, the new bills would take small and specific steps to
reduce emissions. Possible steps include imposing an excise tax on
non-alternative fuel vehicles, improving vehicle fuel efficiency standards,
amending the Clean Air Act to regulate carbon dioxide or to promote
alternative fuel use, and developing a market-based cap and trade
system for carbon emissions.

6. President's State
of the Union Addresses Energy and Climate

In his seventh State of the Union Address, President Bush presented
the nation with an ambitious new energy plan that focuses on increasing
fuel economy and alternative fuel availability, stating that the nation's
dependency on foreign oil "leaves us more vulnerable to hostile
regimes and to terrorists who could do great harm to our economy."
Coining a new catch phrase, President Bush urged Americans to "reduce
gasoline usage in the United States by 20 percent in the next ten
years." Such a reduction would, the Administration claims, allow
the United States to cut total imports by about three-quarters of
the oil now imported from the Middle East.

Achieving the President's "twenty in ten" goal, however,
demands a dramatic increase in the availability of alternative energy
sources. The President challenged lawmakers and private industry to
replace 15 percent of U.S. gasoline consumption with alternative fuels
by 2017. "It is in our vital interest to diversify America's
energy supply, and the way forward is through technology," he
said. He also asked Congress to reform Corporate Average Fuel Economy
(CAFÉ) standards for cars and to extend the current light truck
rule, which would reduce the projected annual gasoline use by 20 percent.
The President also asked Congress to double the current capacity of
the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to 1.5 billion barrels by 2027, a
move that would provide about 97 days of net oil import protection.

And in a historic break from his past reluctance to acknowledge climate
change pressures, the President asserted that his energy plan will
"help us to confront the serious challenge of global climate
change."

In his rebuttal, Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) noted that "this is
the seventh time the president has mentioned energy independence in
his state of the union message, but for the first time this exchange
is taking place in a Congress led by the Democratic Party. We are
looking for affirmative solutions that will strengthen our nation
by freeing us from energy independence on foreign oil, and spurring
a wave of entrepreneurial growth in the form of alternative energy
programs." In their joint statement, Senator Reid and Speaker
Pelosi commended the President's goals for energy independence and
commented that "we now must get straight to work on a real national
energy policy."

7. NRC Report on
Earth-Observing Priorities

In January, the National Research Council (NRC) released a report
entitled "Earth Science and Applications from Space: National
Imperatives for the Next Decade and Beyond (2007)". The report
was requested by NASA, NOAA and the USGS to generate consensus among
the Earth and environmental sciences community regarding space-based
mission priorities to understand the Earth system over the next decade.
Over 100 Earth scientists provided input for the report and they concluded
that the U.S. government needs to fund about 17 new Earth observing
missions over the next decade.

Unfortunately, as the report notes the annual budget for Earth science
within NASA is about $500 million less (in 2006 dollars) than in 2000.
NASA has been forced to reduce funding for critical Earth observing
missions and the number of instruments on NASA missions will fall
by 40 percent by 2010 if additional funding is not provided.

The report recommends increasing funding for Earth observations and
spending about $3 billion annually to achieve national priorities
with regards to a better understanding of the Earth system. The report
provides a prioritized list of recommendations regarding which specific
instruments and/or missions to fund and how to distribute the funding
over the next decade.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) published a 73-page report
on "Key Challenges Remain for Developing and Deploying Advanced
Energy Technologies to Meet Future Needs" in December 2006 and
the report was posted online in January. The summary starts with a
very stark historical budget fact "DOE's total budget authority
for energy R&D dropped by over 85 percent (in real terms) from
1978 to 2005, peaking in the late 1970s but falling sharply when oil
prices returned to lower levels in the mid-1980s. "

The GAO examined the (1) R&D funding trends and strategies for
developing advanced energy technologies, (2) key barriers to developing
and deploying advanced energy technologies, and (3) efforts of the
states and six selected countries to develop and deploy advanced energy
technologies. The GAO also spoke with DOE officials and scientists
and stakeholders outside of DOE. The report concludes that Congress
should consider stimulating a more diversified energy portfolio by
focusing R&D funding on advanced energy technologies.

The U.S. Geological Survey released a report on the value of U.S.
non-fuel mine production in 2005. Production rose by 18 percent from
$54.6 billion in 2005 to $64.4 billion in 2006. Demand for metals
and industrial minerals in the U.S., China and other countries remains
high and is keeping prices high.

The estimated total value of domestically processed non-fuel mineral
materials was about $542 billion in 2006 compared to $493 billion
in 2005. The report includes events, trends and outlooks for about
90 mineral commodities.

Join us for the 12th annual Congressional Visits Day (CVD) on May
1-2, 2007. This two-day annual event brings scientists, engineers,
researchers, educators, and technology executives to Washington to
raise visibility and support for science, engineering, and technology.
Participants will spend the first day learning about how Congress
works, the current state of the budget process and how to conduct
congressional visits. The second day will consist of visits with members
of Congress. In addition to the workshops and visits, participants
will get to meet other scientists and engineers, meet federal science
agency representatives and attend a reception and breakfasts at which
members of Congress will speak and meet with the audience.

Please consider participating in these visits and plan early to come
to Washington DC. Many scientific societies are involved in CVD, including
several of AGI's Member Societies. The American Association of Petroleum
Geologists, the American Geophysical Union, the Geological Society
of America and the Soil Science Society of America are very active
participating societies in CVD and can help coordinate your visits.
In addition these societies and AGI will coordinate some geoscience
activities on May 1.

Individuals interested in participating should contact the Government
Affairs Program at govt@agiweb.org.

Key Federal
Register Notices

EPA: The EPA is proposing amendments to the General Provisions to
the national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAP).
The proposed amendments provide that a major source may become an
area source at any time by limiting its potential to emit hazardous
air pollutants (HAP) to below the major source thresholds of 10 tons
per year (tpy) of any single HAP or 25 tpy of any combination of HAP.Written
comments must be received on or before March 5, 2007. For more information
contact Rick Colyer, Program Design Group (D205-02), Sector Policies
and Programs Division, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards,
U.S. EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, telephone number (919)
541-5262, electronic mail (e-mail) address, colyer.rick@epa.gov.
[Federal Register: January 3, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 1)]

DOE: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy
is soliciting nominations for candidates to serve as members of the
Ultra-Deepwater Advisory Committee. Nominations must be received by
February 2, 2007. For information regarding this Request for Nominations
please contact Ms. Elena Melchert, Mr. Bill Hochheiser, or Mr. James
Slutz, Designated Federal Official (DFO), Ultra-Deepwater Advisory
Committee, at ultradeepwater@hq.doe.gov or (202) 586-5600.
[Federal Register: January 24, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 15)]

NOAA: The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce announces the availability
of and seeks public comment on the draft (2007) Strategic Plan for
Fisheries Research. The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) requires the Secretary of Commerce
to develop, triennially, a strategic plan for fisheries research for
the subsequent years. Any written comments on the draft plan will
be considered by NMFS in the development of the final 2007 Strategic
Plan for Fisheries Research. Comments on the plan must be received
on or before February 23, 2007. Comments on and requests for the draft
NMFS Strategic Plan for Fisheries Research (2007) should be directed
to Mark Chandler, Office of Science and Technology, NMFS, NOAA, 1315
East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. phone: (301) 713-2367
ext. 152, fax: (301) 713-1875, e-mail: NSPFR.comments@noaa.gov.
[Federal Register: January 24, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 15)]

EPA: EPA gives notice of a public teleconference of the National
Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology (NACEPT).
NACEPT provides advice to the EPA Administrator on a broad range of
environmental policy, technology, and management issues. The purpose
of this teleconference is to discuss and approve an initial set of
recommendations on EPA's role in the sustainable development of biofuels.
A copy of the agenda for the meeting will be posted at http://www.epa.gov/ocem/nacept/cal-nacept.htm.
NACEPT will hold a public teleconference on Thursday, February 15,
2007 at 3 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The meeting will be
held in the U.S. EPA Office of Cooperative Environmental Management
at 655 15th Street, NW., Suite 800, Washington, DC 20005.For more
information contact Sonia Altieri, Designated Federal Officer, altieri.sonia@epa.gov,
(202) 233-0061, U.S. EPA, Office of Cooperative Environmental Management
(1601E), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460.
[Federal Register: January 29, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 18)]

USGS: The Scientific Earthquake Studies Advisory Committee of the
U.S. Geological Survey will hold its 15th meeting at the U.S. Geological
Survey, John Wesley Powell National Center, Room 1B215, 12201 Sunrise
Valley Drive, Reston, Virginia 20192 on February 12 and 13, 2007.
Contact Dr. David Applegate, (703) 648-6714 or applegate@usgs.gov
for more information.
[Federal Register: January 30, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 19)]

DOE: The Energy Information Administration is soliciting comments
on the proposed new survey, "Natural Gas Processing Plant Survey".
When activated, this new survey will collect information on the status
and operations of natural gas processing plants for use during periods
of supply disruption in areas affected by an emergency, such as a
hurricane. Comments must be filed by April 2, 2007. Send comments
to Barbara Mariner-Volpe, Natural Gas Division, (EI-44), Forrestal
Building, U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, DC 20585-0670. Ms.
Mariner-Volpe may be contacted by telephone at (202) 586-5878, FAX
at (202) 586-4420, or e-mail at Barbara.MarinerVolpe@eia.doe.gov
[Federal Register: January 30, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 19)]

Sources: New York Times, AAAS R&D Budget and Policy Program,
Associated Press, Washington Post, Greenwire, E&E Daily, Library
of Congress, Congressional Quarterly, Department of the Interior,
House Committee on Appropriations, White House Office of Public Affairs,
Platts Inside Energy, U.S. Geological Survey, National Research Council
and Government Accountability Office.

**********************************************************************
This monthly review goes out to members of the AGI Government Affairs
Program (GAP) Advisory Committee, the leadership of AGI's member societies,
and other interested geoscientists as part of a continuing effort
to improve communications between GAP and the geoscience community
that it serves. Prior updates can be found on the AGI web site under
"Public Policy" <http://www.agiweb.org>. For additional
information on specific policy issues, please visit the web site or
contact us at <govt@agiweb.org> or (703) 379-2480, ext. 228.

Please send any comments or requests for information to AGI Government
Affairs Program.